Why couldn’t I do a single pull-up?

[dawn16]

@pablob If you're dropping like a stone then don't. Doesn't the RR have a progression plan for pull ups? Scapula pulls to archers to negatives or whatever. Follow that.

 

[jenine]

@pablob If you can’t hold yourself up, you’re not gonna be able to pull yourself up. Start with that

 

[shauntice225]

@pablob If you can't handle 3 cluster reps of an eccentric motion (negative), the concentric (pull-up) won't happen.

"For example, if you can perform three pull-up eccentrics, lowering for seven to ten seconds each through full range of motion with no rest between them, you can usually perform a single pull-up." -Overcoming Gravity 2

 

[fortress]

@pablob The general consensus on here is that you can do either chinups or pullups, though generally pullups are slightly more challenging.

Negatives are a well-trodden path to success, so stick at them

 

[patrickwhitmore]

@fortress Chinups seem easier because you use the biceps more, but in the long term one has to pay attention to biceps' health if it is involved too much, since it is a smaller muscle compared to the back chain. With neutral grip I can do two more rep scompared to both chin- and pullups (9 compared to 7), but I suppose it's adaptation given that I train neutral grip a lot recently.

 

[dawn16]

@pablob Look for the machines that offset your weight. You won’t quite get the same bang for your buck but they helped a heavy friend of mine get ridiculous with how many pull-ups he was doing.

 

[michel]

@dawn16 This. Also lat pulldowns. But largely this so you can train all of the back "properly" and so on. Also negatives on both. That's what helped me go from 0 pull-ups to 5 in a couple of months (+the weight loss and overall general training ofc).

 

[fengyuwei]

@pablob This is only my opinion, and what has gotten my big ass to 20+ pullups. Take it as you will.

I would attack it from two directions. On one day, I would use the lightest band necessary to allow you to perform negatives without dropping like a stone. Note that the point is to wean off the bands as soon as you can, and perform unassisted negatives. The bands are there to protect your rotator cuff and shoulder joint from the trauma of suddenly stopping at the bottom, not to make it easier for you. You want them gone as soon as you can do so safely, or you won’t get stronger.

For me personally, this is the only time I would use bands for pullup training. In my opinion, they change the tension points of the movement too much to transfer well to unassisted pullups.

On the other day, I would reverse pushups, along with machine-assisted pullups, rows, lat pull downs, etc. Whatever you have access to that will help you build lat strength in general. These are not a good substitute for pullups specifically, but they will help you build the general upper-body posterior chain strength you need for pullups.

 

[elisco]

@pablob try exercise bands for pull ups

 

[antwolf]

@pablob I like to travel.

 

[xamell]

@antwolf Not sure if your assessment of your muscle mass is correct. 76 kg at 5'10 with NO fat (ok, let it be 8% body fat, bodybuilder level) - will be in the range of natural bodybuilders ready for stage. You can even win some small competitions.

Sorry, hardly believable. You need to reassess your body fat.

 

[antwolf]

@xamell My favorite movie is Inception.

 

[xamell]

@antwolf BIA is unreliable so can be discarded at once.

I do not know about water weighing, but the golden standard is DEXA.

Of course, it is possible to have higher FFMI at 20% body fat, so I cannot discard the possibility you have 75.6 kg lean mass at 5'10''.

You are not too fat to be that high in muscle at 20% fat. But assuming you are talented, let it be true.

If you are 10%, you CANNOT be 82 KGS at 5'10''.It does not matter what you say - you usually have to JUICE to be even 75 kg at 5'10 at 10%.

82kg at 5'10'' at 10% BF is absolutely unreal. I do not believe you.

 

[antwolf]

@xamell I like learning new things.

 

[tunnelhckrat]

@antwolf I mean, you could just post pics of yourself to prove your point

 

[stepola83]

@pablob So did I a two months ago when I started them, and that was using a band. I’m 6’2 and about 195, and I’m just now reaching a point where I drop slowly. However, I can definitely see the progression now. It will come with consistency. Just remember, discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.

 

[gberta]

@pablob You need assistance to begin with. There are a number of ways you could go this but you could have a chair out in front of you that you can put a foot in to help. You will need more assistance on the way up than the way down so try to make it so that you're slowly going up. Then less pressure on the leg to slowly go back down. Fight it all the way down but don't let yourself drop like a rock as it's dangerous and not doing anything. I'd say give yourself permission to be weak and assist yourself even if it feels lame. The strength will come.

 

[timmysfriend]

@pablob Just hang. When I was in public school they called it a flex-arm hang. Basically just getting on a box, kicking up, and holding your chin above the bar. Progressively try to hold yourself up for longer. You'll eventually get enough strength to do a complete pull up.

 

[snaz41]

@pablob Use bands on a pull up bar, or an assisted dip/pullup machine to subtract effort from your arms so you can get good effect from the negatives.

There is overlap but muscles targeted in a chin-up are different (primarily biceps) than a a pullup (more trap.) but both are useful exercises. The chin-us is usually a little easier. The pull-up is generally the preferred exercise.

 

[beautitudine]

@fengyuwei Imo negative pull ups are such a great way to learn the pullup. Thats how I learnt it. I did lat pull down machines etc, but worked for me were the negatives.